Help reworking foursquare floorplan after addition, pics and sketches!

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

We have a 1920 foursquare. We love the simplicity and straightforwardness but the kitchen is just too small and we lack practical storagel We've gone round and round trying to figure out how to better utilize space.. We are planning a 15 ftx12ft addition off the kitchen, demoing the enclosed porch.

We need to add a closet somewhere as well downstairs. For stuff like the vacuum/coats/shoes. No clue where. We currently used the enclosed back room/old porch as toy storage for our baby. I have no idea where toys are going to go after that's gone.

My thoughts.

1. Kitchen extend approx 5 ft into addition, move dining room in the approx 10 ft x12 ft space behind. Use current dining room to extend living room.

Issue: dining room/living is currently separated by a wall/original French doors. We'd have to patch floors by removing wall and ultimately would have a really awkward at first thought galley living room (approx. 14x29)

2. Use current living room as dining. Kitchen to extend horizontal into dining room (making it about 23x14ft) Use addition as living room.

Issue: there's a hallway and doors that break the space up, haven't been able to figure up a kitchen layout that doesn't feel overwhelming ie. too large or disjointed for our modest house. Dining rooms in front rooms have always seemed weird too.

Any suggestions? design ideas? Help please!?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Rachele Roberts
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
http://s1303.photobucket.com/user/Rachele_Roberts/story
User
9 years ago
You really need to hire an architect.
Related Discussions
Need FloorPlan Suggestions - Desperate
Q
Comments (10)
I've looked at your plan several times, but have found it difficult to come up with ideas since I'm not clear on what can be changed, and it's hard to see the measurements. Looking at your second plan, it's guesswork to see what the old plan was. It would be very helpful to see the original, existing plan. But I'll take a stab at it. What is it that you don't like about the MBR, besides the location of the WIC door? You said you're redoing the bathrooms. Can their fixtures be relocated? Can the kitchen cabinets along the dining room wall be changed? Seems like there must be a better way to do the butler's pantry, which is inconvenient in its present location. Can the locations of the appliances be changed in the kitchen? The great room seems huge--what are the measurements? Do you really need it that large? The reason I ask is that it seems like you have space in it for the dining table at the end towards the kitchen. If so, I'd go back to the 3 car garage, and just attach it to the house. Then I'd rework the present dining room, mudroom, and butler's pantry. How many people/ what ages are living in this house? Is there a reason the mudroom is so large in Baton Rouge, especially with the laundry elsewhere? I assume you need 4 active bedrooms, and wouldn't want to convert one to a study/guest bedroom? Living in the north, I don't know much about life styles in Louisiana. How much of the year are the doors and windows open, or do you mostly close up and use air conditioning down there? Which way is south on this house plan? How wide is the lot, and how close to the lot line are the doors of the present 3 car garage? More info and the original plan will help! Anne
...See More
Floorplan Help
Q
Comments (12)
Thanks for clearing that up on the lot(s). Personally, I don't like the design. Just letting you know I might be a bit prejudiced about it. :-) The afternoon/evening sun from the west would have little impact, but the unshaded south facing windows without overhangs on the first floor would get a lot of sun, until close to the summer solstice, date depending on latitude. That will provide a lot of heat gain, just when you don't need it. In the winter it would help, though. The set back kitchen gets no east light, so would be dark in the morning. The den, dining room, and two north facing bedrooms would be dark all year. That may not be much of an issue with those rooms. If the back of the house isn't facing true south or close to it, the impact will be somewhat different than I have stated, more or less. I have linked a site that lists numerous resources that can be used to predict any home's solar performance. While it is primarily aimed at using passive or active solar energy in your home, the tools are applicable to almost all houses, and can yield useful information for most home designs. BTW, I see no place to put a TV or any other furniture against a wall in the great room, except that little cubby off of the sitting room. Here is a link that might be useful: Build It Solar
...See More
Help tweaking floorplan for vintage-inspired kitchen?
Q
Comments (25)
Hi Bmoreanic. Some of the things that strike you as odd may be things that I just got used to in our current house and am now unnecessarily replicating in the new build. Let's see, groceries come in through utility area. The garage will be detached and a breezeway will connect with the utility door. I'll probably prefer to face the front windows and fireplace. I may even engage in the controversial practice of placing a tv over the fireplace so as to feed my political habit while cooking. Cuisine really suffered here during the election season! Neither of us is height-challenged. I like to bake but it's such a pain in my current kitchen that I don't do it that much anymore. I'm not great at it anyway. I don't can or steam lobsters though I think my husband harbors a fantasy that I'll be canning okra and pickling beets once we move to the sticks. We do plan to have a garden. We've grown tomatoes and herbs for several years and hope to expand a bit. We have people over quite a bit and they try to congregate in the kitchen which is just not workable. We've had a couple of catered events but I can't see that we'll ever do that very often. I'm sort of afraid no one will want to make the drive out once we move anyway. There'll be a powder room off the main living area. There'll be a buffet in the dining room. No espresso bar necessary. I'm thinking I'll have to sacrifice the pizza oven and while I'd love a monitor-top refrigerator, there are sometimes that modern is just better. Y'all are right about access to the back porch being awkward. How about bumping the utility area out a couple of feet and putting a door in there adjacent to where the washer is drawn? Oh, and I was hoping to turn that little table area into a banquette, but it may be too cramped. Sorry to be so long-winded!
...See More
Pls help - Rework existing floor plan or addition?
Q
Comments (25)
We cannot specifically say an addition would cost less than reworking existing house, or expanding into garage. Good to know you have property to build new garage. The cost for a new garage would be part of your "total cost of ownership" because you would need garage in your climate. With a current appraisal, and your assessment of your area, it sounds like you could spend this level of money and still ultimately recover your investment. These facts, say to me an addition that reworks the current kitchen and decks to an open kitchen/family room a viable, good option. The only limiting factor is the requirements for your septic field and percolating ability. So, I would get a septic company to come out and assess your situation and give you input on where and what limits you might have building in that direction. This is part of "due diligence" and data gathering in order to make a wise decision. It has nothing to do with saving money for changes. It has to be done to establish what the boundaries are to any modifications. Not getting facts is a sure way to get rushed when you jump into something without adequate knowledge and compounds problems. There may also be "property setback rules" that would affect doing a new garage. So I suggest you get a trusted septic tank company representative come to your home and ask them questions and gather info. Ask local building officials what restrictions you may have for expanding the footprint of your overall home on your property. Get that homework done and then you can dream of the ultimate solution. It will take a year to plan a project like this before one thing starts. Then, you will need a good architect to help develop plans and explore options. Good luck. I would explain to your husband that a lot of research has to be done before you do anything and that takes time. If he resists still, then you have a different problem to solve. ;).
...See More
Jm_seattle
9 years ago
Yes, hire an architect, but find one that appreciates old houses. It's a lovely home with charming details and you don't want to lose those. I think you're on the right track by pushing back (or out to the kitchen side if your lot allows it). I wouldn't mess with your living / dining / formal entry if you can avoid it - those spaces are warm and timeless. Could you include a separate playroom as part of the addition to address some of your kid space concerns?

I also picture a cozy breakfast nook as part of the new kitchen if space allows. If you push back, you might consider pushing the bathroom back to where the kitchen is and then using the current bathroom area for closet / storage, but that could be a lot of plumbing to move around.

Another thing you might consider is moving the door on the closet so it faces the hallway - I get that doesn't buy you any space overall, but it just looks about the right size and location for a coat closet.

Also, you may be considering this already, but when you remodel your kitchen, think about matching the style of the rest of the house. We did that with our 1920s house, and now it fits right in.
PRO
Home Design Consulting
9 years ago
Your home is a gem. Thinking of costs and how it is and will be as your child (children) continue to grow. I think the elements of your second option is best. I would have a the kitchen start in the addition and flow a little into the existing kitchen. Then have the kitchen extend a little into a larger living / family room. In the kitchen design you can incorporate storage for brooms, mops, vacuum cleaner etc. I would take down the existing closet in the dining room and place a slightly larger closet against the bathroom wall in the existing kitchen.

Your kitchen design can incorporate an eating area possibly on an island or a peninsula that naturally separates the kitchen from the living/family room. As for additional storage space, you can add built ins in the living/family room. Maybe something easy for the kids to grab their toys.

Also, you could add a very tiny closet or hooks and a bench in the foyer for hanging coats for the family and guests.

As jm_seattle_houzz suggested the kitchen should fit the style of the rest of the house. This is also true for any built ins.

I would not worry about the dining room being in the front of the house. I think the need for continuous living space is more important. Your family is going to spend the vast majority in the kitchen and living/family room area.

I helped many clients evaluate their design options by creating 3D computer models of the different layout designs. This helps most people to make a definitive decision on what works best for them.

Best.

Home Design Consulting
MD4square
5 years ago
Rachele what did you end up doing for your kitchen addition? I have the same style home and almost same floor plan and am stumped.

Help reworking foursquare floorplan after addition, pics and sketches!

Comments (5)

Rachele Roberts
Original Author

User

Related Discussions

Jm_seattle

Home Design Consulting

MD4square

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Help reworking foursquare floorplan after addition, pics and sketches!

Comments (5)

Rachele RobertsOriginal Author

User

Related Discussions

Jm_seattle

Home Design Consulting

MD4square

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Rachele Roberts
Original Author